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is an internet thought leader and entrepreneur, and founder of several companies including Squidoo.com. He’s the author of many books, including Tribes, The Icarus Deception, and most recently, What to Do When It's Your Turn.

Seth is right, I had not heard of him before nor would I have recognized him BUT I do/will now. Another great show that is so insightful , stretching , and profound . Thanks so much for your radio show and podcast.

I loved, loved, loved this broadcast. I highly recommend listening to both the edited and unedited versions. I've been exploring both the spiritual and digital "tribes" online and have been influenced by both in writing my memoir. Now two of my very favorites from previously distinct worlds are talking to each other, "tenderly," as Seth said. What a way to jump start my day and my revision process! Thank you.

Thank you Krista and Seth for this interview and discussion. I found it encouraging and enlightening. Gives me hope to continue my work with value particularly when I've felt overwhelmed at times like a small fish in a big pond.

Thoughtful and profound work in today's saturated world of noise is to be sought, treasured and shared without hesitation. Kristen and Seth are true pillars that inspire us to stretch our comfort zones. To hear them together was incredible and a privilege. Thank you both and continued good health to continue.

I listened to the edited interview with Seth Godin, then immediately listened to the unedited version. Then started taking notes, then started flowing with ideas faster than I could write. I think my world view has shifted. Thank you both!

His statements about the past are full of catchphrases -- but his statements are based on his own rage to make everyone else see the world through his glasses. He has coopted the demeanor and jargon of a forceful Business-school professor with a bunch of catchphrases -- except with a psychotically angry edge to his voice. Ok, he made a lot of money. He is playing the role of genius to assuage some problem in his personality, and he made a lot of money. Krista Tippett your shows are always so thoughtful; why are you even bothering with this self-help smackdown guy?

Seth believes as I do that most of commerce today is focused on getting people to buy more stuff that they don't really need. Rather than building things that really matter but don't promise a huge payday, most creators create stuff that panders to the masses, to the trending idea, to sex, status, ego, etc. They make promises that they can't keep (e.g. you'll be more popular; you'll be better looking; this will solve all your problems).

Seth believes as I do, that instead of playing this industrial game where you maximize profits, minimize cost and deliver the lowest possible value to the lowest common denominator audience, you be true to yourself and you produce something that "matters". Create something that your audience really needs/wants, that ranks high on the "weighing scale" but not necessarily on the "ratings scale". If we all did this, and if we used the Internet for more of these worthwhile ventures, then the world would be a better place, and above all, a more equitable place because people wouldn't be trying to sap one another of their hard-earned money for junk that they don't need.

For me personally, I am trying hard to summon the courage to break out of my current groove and do something that really matters. I have the utmost confidence that when I do, I and the people around me (family, friends, and my audience) will all better off for it. Yes, even happier.

The idea that today's population are simply masses afraid of the uncertainty of the future given the change from an industrial economy to a technology economy has no basis in fact and is, frankly, insulting. There is no doubt that the freedom for such things as creativity and art has expanded as has the ability to reach inside all cultures. This is a good thing. That is not to what Krista seems to be guiding us in this 'fear of change' dialog.

People across the Western world are fearful because of the loss of democracy and the turn of free and democratic institutions into autocratic and criminal ones. We watch as tens of trillions of dollars in public wealth is moved from the lower/middle classes to the top all by corporate fraud with a complete suspension of Rule of Law in Western nations. Security is the growth industry as jobs in national security, Homeland security, building security, the military and police are the predominate job markets now. This is not a good thing, it is bad. We watch as diversified and competitive markets are drying and fixed by the ownership of all business activity in America by a handful of mega-corporations. This is not evolution and it is not something to relax and accept.....it is something for which to be fearful and to revolt.

Even as I acknowledge the benefits of internet as regards culture and creativity the predominate issue for all people is the Big Brother nature of the web and the fact that all of it is owned by people who can now simply legislate the ability to have it all shut down.....remember, all of our public modes of communication are being dismantled so communication that is centralized like this is easily cut off as we saw with the uprisings last Spring. The US quickly passed laws allowing this complete shutdown as it made domestic detention for 'terrorism' legal as well.

This is of course not evolution it is devolution. We are seeing a wealth inequity equal to the Renaissance and the same social structuring taking place.....goodbye Enlightment these leaders say as democracy disappears and poverty increases all by way of massive criminal activity. These are the morals, ethics, and values the people see today and are never spoken of on Krista's program as she works to obscure the seriousness of the times!!

Kudos Cindy. You're the only one so far who isn't blind to the concentration of power the new technologies are making possible. The cheerleading by libertarian and artistic types for the supposed freedom technology, especially the internet, makes possible is incredibly naive.

Cindy, you are so right. As I listen and watch the news I recall someone saying that by giving up your freedom in favour of security, in the end, you have neither.Unbelievable that so many cannot see the road ahead that destroys the democracy and freedom that we think we have by the powerful and corruptible.

This program finally taught me what "tribalism" means. Godin used the example of the group or tribe at a hypothetical reading by Mark Twain....imagine a reing by Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, and Wayne LaPierre and th tribe it would attract, on one hand, and a reading by Tina Fey, John Stewart, and Garrison Keillor on the other. This country is one tribal place, isn't it, and I wish programs like this one the greatest luck in getting the light to the dark corners where it's needed.

loved the talk. who i am is best said at jimsurkamp.comwe are talking about individuation and finding micro tribes but that is opposite negotiation with those who are not like us. that is where politics - even in its old current form - has to do. in democracy those who disagree intensely almost violently - have to come face to face. egypt social media awakening showed that the social media side thought politics was street mobs but they lacked any knowledge or appreciation of the tough slog called governance and advocacy. it's detailed, hard, and thankless.

Christa, I always enjoy and am enlightened by On Being. Congratulations to you and all involved in producing and participating in the programs.

Regarding today's topic, I would like to note that there is relevant wisdom in Dorothy Sayer's 1941 book, The Mind of the Maker (see: ). In it she explicates the Christian trinity by illuminating the relationship of creator, work, and meaning and characterizing the nature of man, "created in the image of God" as being reflected in artistic imagination. As she argues, this triune nature is found not only in the acts of artists, but also in those of inventors, engineers, craftsmen, and--may I add, too--teachers, students, and parents.

BTW, I propose that a secular trinity derived from Sayer's insights may well provide a more viable paradigm for modern scientific thinking than the failed materialist/reductionist paradigm dominating orthodox science. [I prefer to think of this secular, paradigmatic trinity in terms of Idea, Image, and Import, rather than in Sayer's terms--I like alliteration, too.]. This secular trinity provides the basis of a conceptual framework for a worldview which better accommodates the accumulating scientific and spiritual thought and evidence for Mind/Consciousness and Meaning/Spirit/Effect, most of which orthodox science, ignores, dismisses, denies, rejects.

I thank you for writing this. It is great to know that there are some remnants amongst us. Men have relied on scientific thinking and forgot God and all His works. Keep it up friend. My email is washington_gyms@yahoo.com. Keep in touch. Washington.

Mr. Godin's ideas put form to my long-felt belief that a business doesn't need to define success by adding employees or making a steep profit margin or building aggressively. I run a small business because I like to practice landscape architecture. I like to meet people and help them live their lives more fully and abundantly. I don't run a small business to make a million dollars, or to grow indefinitely. I founded my company because I was unemployed in the Great Recession of 2008. Since that time, I've ended up providing work and connections for other professionals who found themselves in transition. I feel very strongly that this is a main mission of my company, along with providing a creative outlet for myself, earning a little money, and supporting the design and construction of human environments that help people enjoy their lives. Thanks for this great interview - I've found out that I'm part of a tribe that believes in a more complex business model. What fun!

I love Seth's ideas - this is just NO for now then learn from it. That this evolutionary change is happening from the ground up. We are all artists and we have to brave enough to create and present our creations to our community and value our own artistry. Another winner Krista. I feel like you are one of my BFF s!

This interview is on its way to becoming a part of the curriculum for my university students in Interpersonal Comm. at Webster University. Sooooo appreciative of On Being and Seth Godin who appears in my inbox every morning!

Krista, you managed with your special way of approaching people and issues to get Seth to talk about his work in a much more interesting and profound way I have ever heard before. I really learnt much more from him after listening to your interviews than I have from listening to many of his presentations online!Thanks Seth for taking this journey with Krista.

Seth's apologia for the newest incarnation of "creative destruction" is monstrous: celebratory of the centralization of power, deeply insulting to and dismissive of the 99+% who are not, and cannot possibly be, part of the top-level creative class that is benefiting from the new economic order, and incredibly ignorant of what makes for human flourishing (for all, not just the powerful and their pet geniuses). Go meet some poor people--better yet, some stupid or deeply damaged people--and try to sell your bucket of swill to them. You'll see it for the Machiavellian BS that it is.

"Narcissus lays his head on the grass by the pool, and then he quietly disappears into the underworld, where he continues to gaze at the image in the waters of the river Styx. Our images, especially those that appear in life and play important roles in episodes of transformation, stay with us forever. Once we have entertained an image, it is always potentially present to our gaze. You visit the Uffizi Gallery and see Botticelli's "Primavera," and then for a lifetime you dream of it or you talk about it frequently as a measure of beauty. Unexpectedly it presents itself in a moment of thought or in a discussion, reminding you of its eternal presence. This fragment of the myth suggests that we might continually make soul out of our narcissism by preserving and tending to the images that have come to us throughout our lives. This is the basis of art therapy or journal-keeping: making a home for certain images that have been transforming. Certain photographs or old letters might be related to the pool of water. Culturally, of course, we are constantly invited into the depths of ourselves by the plays, paintings, sculptures, and buildings of past centuries. Art can be a cure for narcissism. The words "curator" and "cure" are essentially the same. By being the curator of our images, we care for our souls."

I post pictures of beautiful pools on the cover of my facebook page to remind me of this quote. After hearing this interview, I'm holding it in my heart right next to this quote and basking in the radiance. It's a keeper!

Seth Godin, such a weirdo! I love you Seth, for being just who you are - straight, no chaser! :) I have been a silent follower of yours for a few years. I quote you frequently. i was introduced to you through George Siemens "Connectivism'. Each time I listen to you or read something that you wrote I learn so much. You always leave me with something to think about and apply to my life and my work. Thank you for being free enough to share!

so wonderful, excellent listen, so enriching. one part i especially appreciated was the "can't please everyone", how Seth admitted to being "victum" to negative reveiw - that one out of 100 we fall into darkness over. jeez, but to stay vulnerable and to not pay attention to such critism. thank you Krista!

This was my first exposure to Seth and his philosophy. We share many beliefs. My organization has for 20 years attempted to build our community back from a rust belt powehouse of the 50's, through the crumbling industrial economy, to a renaissance ignitied by a rediscovery of the arts. The goal is a culturally vibrant community with a populace formed of peaceful, productive tribes that contribute their own form of art toward a better community. Thankyou for your leadership, Seth, and thank you Krista,for this interview.

I have a confession. I did not completely finish reading The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly?. During the entire process of reading your book up to page 210, I realize that You wanted me to be brave and go create My art now. There was a sense of urgency. I have a feeling that is alright with you because I wanted to start on and in my art too. Reading your book along with others have helped me give me permission to create change. So I am doing just that. I am taking baby steps. The first step I have taken is to leave the town I have grew up for nearly 20 years to find my art and do my art. I am always noticing but afraid to give voice to what I see. Today, I am beginning the long, hard journey of self-actualizing creation. Here is an example of my art: . I started it over a year ago and neglected it because my grassroots campaigned failed, but now I am ready to enhance it and make it into art. Seth, I am brave, but am I scared, but I am brave. The times demand my bravery and I will begin by starting now.

I loved this talk. The Art of Noticing is in "my own language." The idea that we all have gifts to give, and that we are essentially all artists is just the concept, which offers potential for us to help the world become a better place.This talk inspired me.Thank you!Owen

I could not pass up this interview with Seth Godin. I'm a big fan of his.

I wrote down eight key points of this interview that struck a chord within me, but I will discuss just a couple of them.

The first was when Seth said,

"And so the challenge of our future is to say, are we going to connect and amplify positive tribes that want to make things better for all of us? Or are we going to degrade to warring tribes that are willing to bring other groups down just so they can get ahead?"

This really made me rethink how I go about purchasing products, actually. Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the simple purchase, but really with every purchase, I'm supporting an idea. I want to support the positive tribes and not the bully tribes.

The second point was when Seth said,

"You will never have better ratings than the Jersey Shore. But that's not what the purpose is. It's not what the point is. It's not why we do our work. What works is does it matter? And is it possible to make a living doing something that matters? And the answer is, yes. Is it possible to make the maximum amount of money? Probably not. But that's playing by a different set of rules."

This was very important to me because sometimes I think too much about fame. Getting an idea that everyone likes. Being a person everyone likes. Winning an award or being the best at something. Seth says it's not about the ratings. I think that kind of thought process will really just drag me down in the end and smother my true potential. There is something I can offer that's bigger than ratings. Something that impacts individuals, which spreads little by little to other individuals. Something that matters.

Jeremy Peterson, I hope you will get this. In reference to your point about building "something that impacts individuals, which spreads little by little to other individuals...". There is another interview with Krista and Rachel Naomi Remen that you should hear (). Remen is a doctor and a "storyteller". The whole interview is fascinating and gentle and inspiring, but there is one part of it, around timing 5:09, where Remen talks about the "birthday of the world" and how an accident occurred, and the whole of human existence is to clean up this accident and heal those around us -- one heart at a time. It's not about making a huge ratings win (like Jersey Shore or Jay-Z) but about healing those around you, one person at a time.

"Something genuine that connects, instead of something fake that entertains."

He nailed it. I listened to this interview three times in the Czech Republic as I was there on tour with a one-man show about WW II. Godin's description of the community that grew around Twain's tours is exactly what was happening on the tour.

Great conversation! I need to listen to it again, but wanted to comment on one item that stuck with me. Krista asked a really good question, "how do you advise people to be discerning - how to be wise"? Seth responded that the only way to get that discernment is to "practice", which is really great advice. But would like to share another really good, well thought out answer - from Andy Stanley, whom I admire greatly - here is a link to a web page that includes both video and audio:

I love the definition of "mindfulness" from Ellen Langer at Harvard. It's the "art of noticing new things." How many of us are intentional about this? I know I'm not. Yeah, I take too many things for granted, including those closest to me.

But, I'm endeavoring to do that in a way that's challenging my focus. It's causing me to pause.

Seth Godin invites us out to play in a world with few rules and fewer playbooks. I have been reading him for awhile and yet staying safe in my corporate life - I have been released now to explore and thank Seth for encouraging me to make a ruckus

Life is a what we make of it. We have been giving the ability to live life to the fullest and enjoy, have fun, be happy all the time. Why we have learned the contrary and apply any excuses instead. Is to some extent in the water supply and we need to find the way to change this.

I have never heard of Seth Godin.... and W.O.W. did I ever n.e.e.d. to hear this and learn about him and who he is and what he is about! Listening to him [and Krista's incredible questions-as always]is building totally n.e.w. neural pathways in my brain that will ease my transition "out of" my "programed" up-bringing and greatly help me move forward not only in my life but in the world as well.

Great show! I was left with this odd feeling that Seth had somehow sneaked into one of our business plan meetings. It was never a strategy for "getting customers." We are new and unique for our industry and initially only heard very negative comments from veterans of the field. We literally had people laugh in our faces. We believe in our product and methods. We didn't just want the sale, we want people to have fantastic experiences. We are honestly having the time of our lives living the dream and making friends along the way. Very inspiring to know that we are on the right track.

I loved this quote: We are discovering that most people who are making an impact are doing so despite what they learned in school, not BECAUSE of what they learned in school. This is why I'm driven to do things differently as a teacher.

When you were talking about working together it reminded me of class exercises at Western Carolina University for the Hospitality & Tourism program. When we did presentations or dreamed up restaurants we had to do it as a group.

I thought it was funny that all of these young college students wanted me as part of their group because I was working in a restaurant! So I had real world insight! The goal was learning to work as teams because you are working more as teams than alone in the real world!

I sat outside the Portland IKEA last night, taking in every last word. The beautiful dialogue that occurred between Krista's inquiry and Seth's insights was truly enlightening. So much so that I burst through the DO NOT ENTER doors at (literally) the 11th hour.

I've been a fan since I first heard On Being.I've been an "applier of Wisdoms" since opening Seth's first real business books.And I thought The Domino Project was an exceptional exploration in rapid content development.

But this?This is both Krista and Seth at their best.Bravo for continuing to raise the bar of insight, enlightenment and quality dialogue.

Seth shouldn't be upset about the lady saying that these people can't make art. Because the place to learn to make beautiful, functional art is at Haywood Community College a technical college with a production crafts program that shows artists how to make a living selling fine crafts!

The other night I was driving to a gig. I turned on the radio and caught this interview. However, upon arriving I was half way in and made a point to catch the programs name and Seth's name before turning the radio off as I wanted to look it up on line to listen to the rest of it. Five hours later I get in my car to drive home and turn on the radio and the station is rebroadcasting the program. I happened to turn it on a minute before I had turned it off before. I was thrilled and yet immediately felt that I was "supposed" to listen to this show. It was very inspiring, so much so that I listened to the unedited version the next night when I went for a run. Seth was able to eloquently verbalize what I have been thinking. I have sense passed this along. Make a ripple. If everyone is going in one direction turn around and go in the opposite direction. Bravo. I will follow Seth and listen to your program.

This unedited interview actually brought tears to my eyes. Very moving and inspiring (did I really expect anything less from Seth Godin?). This makes me want to risk failing bigger, more often, and more publicly.

Krista and Seth, thank you for the gift. Thank you for your art and contribution!

Godin at one point was talking about how when we were younger and in school we were taught to brainstorm ideas and work as a group to think of ways to resolve the issues. He says that as we get older we start to fear these activities because we are scared to be wrong. I think a lot of this can be due to the pressures that we are under as we grow up to always have the correct answer without stumbling around at first. As kids, there is no pressure because you are learning and people will just think they don't know any better, at least they are trying.

Also he had mentioned how in highschool kids get docked points if they work together on an assignment. I feel he was a little misinformed or not entirely sure what he was talking about. I think he didn't really understand that the kids were probably cheating and just sharing answers instead of working through a problem together. When I was in highschool I really enjoyed working in groups because it gave me an outlet to throw ideas and make sure that it made sense to other people. Also a big bonus of working with others is that you get different viewpoints and can open your mind to different possibilities through others ideas.

Godin believes that in this ‘post-geography’ world, with our connection economy, technology is empowering the ‘bottom-up’ change where society evolves culturally on its own without a central leader forcing ideas and change and that the change itself is empowering technology. They feed off of each other. As a result of this change, Godin believes that every single person is an artist. Instead of like in the industrial era when one person had the creativity and designed something and told others what to do, now one person can have the creativity and ideas and create a product all on their own to send out to the world. Now success doesn’t come to drones who only do what they’re told: now to be successful, you have to make your own path and have faith that it will work.At first I thought that this was a rather odd opinion to have, since many ideas and products depend on people following orders and providing the support work. Self-starters who create their own businesses around their own creations can have success with hard work and faith, but they too need people to help eventually. But the more that I thought about it, the more it made sense. Even now people in ‘drone’ jobs are being empowered to come up with new ideas, new ways of doing things, and acting on them. Employers often ask their employees for new practices that might save time and money, or recommend new pitches that might get clients. From the top levels down to the bottom, companies are encouraging individual creativity, and new products are released every day because of it.

This interview was the real gift for me in 2014. After a number of years of disappointing failures, to be reminded that someone I view as successful has had his share of failures, was a gem. Seth's perspective on failure buoyed my spirits. My favorite part: that no longer is success created or defined by one person directing 50 others to design something; rather, that one person working by themselves can make an idea or product in this world that has value. We no longer have to be the worker bees! Thank you Seth!!!!

Seth talks about seeing the world as a place of abundance in this post-industrial age, instead of scarcity, as in the industrial age. As an economist, I could not disagree more. What changes from one age to the other is the type of scarcity: from material things', to immaterial things' (scarcity of connection, meaning, time).

There's so much Love that slides past our focus on a daily basis. The symmetry of our nature eludes us while we get caught in our webs of disappointment. We expect so much, as we should, but often in that hope there are invisible pot holes that blind side our momentum. We break ankles while trying to hurdle the stars. We shed vulnerability in order to grow back thicker skin, believing that this truly makes us stronger, more protected, more attractive and more independent people, when in reality this is the worst thing we could do. There are so many of us with wingspans the size of skyscrapers and yet too afraid to open them up. We exchange humility for humiliation and feel safer by playing the martyr than attempting to be the hero. We sacrifice infinite opportunities to share love due to our reservations with rejection. We are brighter than the sun through a million magnifying glasses and yet we seek refuge from our own potential. We duck under umbrellas unaware that the weather is only raining on the inside, while Lilac sunsets cry to be noticed.The beautiful truth about our species is that we were designed to be broken and then to put ourselves back together without having to have added extra armor in the process. We were meant to fail because without failure we’d never know where we once were after achieving success. Our growth can only be measured this way. If we seek not to change or too take healthy risks than we sever the kites attached to our spirit. Our flaws are our goals and our goals become our fuel, and the process between our ideas and our victories is our life. People are afraid to tell the world what they're going to do because if God forbid it takes them longer than expected to get there, or that we decide to change those goals in midstream, that others wont see the merit, honesty, or validation in those day dreams. The irony is that the results are fleeting regardless of the size of the trophy we aim for or end up carrying home. It’s the connections we make along our journeys that keep us grounded in intimacy. We pave new highways so that others may find our doorstep easier. When we don’t share who we are and what scares us, we end up building homes with no front doors. We end up staring out the windows through the blinds at our neighbors from a safe distance. Strangers become obstacles and sometimes even targets instead of friends who we just haven’t met yet. We are all so part of the same dream and yet too often we build walls and dig motes in order to live safer and more disconnected lives.My passion blossoms when I'm awarded the opportunity to watch others grow. I thrive off of watching others attempt to be better people. I find our flaws to be sexy when they are admitted. I find empathy to be the best anecdote when we get too lost within self. I’ve learned that it’s impossible to feel bad about oneself while we are in the process of helping someone else. I can only hope that as I age I will continue to see the evolution of humanity traveling towards a gentler more forgiving awareness in regards to the way we communicate with one another. Having a child has made me look into the mirror longer than I ever once did. Its brought the truth of my character flaws to the surface with the buoyancy of a rocket ship. We cannot fool our children for long. They will eventually discover that we are not their Gods and that the answers are just as much of a mystery to us as it will be to them. I believe it’s cleaner to show our messiness to the world than to polish off our acting skills. We need not to be desperate if we decide to accept that we won't get it right all of the time. I love this life and all the torture we endure as we walk through it. We are brave and charismatic creatures born into a galaxy that thrives off of balance. We need as much dark as light, as much doubt as certainty, and as much pain as love. To avoid this truth is to live in constant sorrow while setting ourselves up for an unachievable destiny. I dare myself to commit to this understanding, and to be blessed with substantial reminders when I’ve found myself trapped in moments of spiritual amnesia.

Your friends say you are special, loyal, fun, wonderful. You are loved. You have cultivated your mind, heart and being. Yet you remain a nobody online. Waiting to be seen and understood. How do you show up authentically online, in a digital world where a past story, a past life, a peak experience define your story. Does intuition work the same online as it does in the physical world. That's my question.

Hi Krista — just listened to the unedited Seth Godin interview. He used a great word for your presence at the table — tender — and you are such a thoughtful and curious listener, it makes all the difference in the world when one is asking questions and being deeply engaged in the answers flowing back.I'd like to see you fill out this page with more interviews dated 2016! There are so many great characters from which to choose. I'll stay tuned.

I just really enjoyed the tie-in between art and business. As someone that has tried to explain to a skeptical parent (at 42 years of age) that all entrepreneurs (that create something new) are artists that message resonates with me. My business will ostensibly be based around improvisational acting, but the true product is a fun time communing with other creative people. The culture of safety is everything, and already my group is 100% committed to it.